| Vouchers to beat fraud on internet
PEOPLE who are nervous about online shopping can now buy virtual vouchers to pay for internet purchases without the need for plastic cards or even a bank account. The move should assuage the fears of thousands of Australians who avoid shopping over the internet or telephone for fear of credit card fraud. Customers can buy VCard credit from retailers in the same way they buy prepaid mobile phones. The credit - up to $1000 per VCard - can then be used in place of a credit card anywhere that accepts Visa. A one-off fee of $5.50 applies for each voucher and the customer cannot spend more than the amount on it. The market research firm Forrester, in a report released in April, found that 7.2 million Australians were online shoppers. It forecast that that figure would grow by an average of 22 per cent a year until 2010.
CHC boys have youth, need patience
Youth and patience will go hand-in-hand at College Heights Christian School this boys basketball season. "We're young without game experience," Cougar coach Charlie Williams said on Friday. "Right now, we have seven freshmen on our 12-player roster. We need patience from the players, coaches and fans. "Our early schedule will tell us about our strengths and weaknesses," Williams, who's assisted by son Chuck, said. The three CHC lettermen from a 9-15 edition include returning starter Andrew Chaney. The 6-foot-5 senior averaged 8.4 points and 6.8 rebounds and had 54 blocked shots. The other veterans are juniors Paul Emery (6-4) and Jeremy Jones (6-2). "We expect double-figure scoring and rebounding out of Andrew if we can get the ball inside," Williams said.
The future of the arts in Delaware
During the past century, wealthy benefactors have blessed Delaware with a richness in high-quality arts other communities its size can only envy. World-class theater, opera, music, paintings, sculpture and American decorative arts are available at reasonable prices -- without having to travel to Washington, New York or Philadelphia. .
Banks under fire will disclose level of sub-prime loss
Britain's banks will this week come under further pressure to reveal the extent of losses from the global credit crunch after speculation mounted over the weekend that HSBC could be forced to write down the value of mortgages at its US arm by a further $1bn (£500m). HSBC Finance will report third quarter results this week and the group, until recently known as Household, is expected to include a re-valuation of its mortgage portfolio. HSBC, already under attack from an activist investor, could see pressure on chairman Stephen Green to step down. Barclays came under sustained assault last week following a series of critical reports suggesting it could be hiding large and damaging debts on its balance sheet. At one point on Friday, trading in its shares was suspended following a 9% fall in the bank's value.
BMO hit by credit crash
TORONTO -- The Bank of Montreal has joined the array of big banks hurt by the U.S. subprime mortgage crash, revealing that it will book half a billion dollars in writedowns partly connected to disorder in world credit markets. The bank said yesterday that $320 million in writedowns come from debt-instrument woes at BMO Capital Markets, and $185 million from the bank's credit card loyalty program. John Aiken, an analyst and Dundee Capital Markets, noted that the BMO credit-market charges, to be booked in the fourth quarter ended Oct. 31, were smaller than some market watchers had predicted. The "valuation adjustments" at BMO Capital Markets include $170 million on trading and structured credit-related positions and preferred shares, $135 million on Canadian asset-backed commercial paper and $15 million on Links Finance Corp.
Growth and inflation risks worry G20
Business Finance and city news online from Interactive Investor (www.iii.co.uk). Plus financial and currency market news and information 24/7. Stock prices, share prices, currency markets news and business finance headlines. Also news from AFX and Reuters. UK online business, currency, markets and financial news .
Public records for Nov. 17, 2007
Courthouse COUNTY JAIL DOCKET (The following people were booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail on felony charges yet to be proven in court.): Shivonne Courtney Aviles, 23, Daytona Beach, violation of probation; Karen Vandusen Kurk, 41, Orlando, violation of probation; Dawn C. Campbell, 41, Ormond Beach, violation of probation; Gwendolyn L. Reynolds, 39, Daytona Beach, grand theft (3); Crystal Lee Karle, 20, Deltona, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, tampering with the evidence; Robert John Romahn, 47, South Daytona, dealing in stolen property; Michael J. Cotton, 40, Daytona Beach, burglary; John Raymond Burgess, 30, Louisville, Ky., violation of probation (2); Renaldo Valdez, 26, Daytona Beach, failure to appear; Joseph Leon Davie, 48, Pompano, retail theft; Jason Michael Bowman, 31, Bristol, Va., second degree murder, burglary of a structure/conveyance; Rosalino Velasco Gutierrez, 22, Daytona Beach, failure to appear (2); Raymond Michael Eddy, 26, Ormond Beach, violation of probation; Joshua Lee Pendleton, 20, Daytona Beach, manslaughter, driving under the influence; Christopher Vargas, 18, Deltona, principal to robbery with a weapon; Clifford L.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Banca Romanesca, member of the National Bank of Greek Group, is set to launch in the domestic market an offer through which clients would not pay interest for credits exceding EUR 50,000 in the first six months since the credit was contracted, according to a communiqu� remitted to the editorial office. The offer refers to housing credits as well as personal needs credits with mortgage and will expire on December 14 this year. The housing credit is offered for a period of 35 years and the borrowed sum could reach EUR 500,000. The personal needs credit is offered for a maximum of 25 years and the borrowed sum could reach EUR 300,000.
BRD reached RON 682 M profit
BRD has announced a 43 per cent growth to a level of RON 682 M in its net profit in the January to September period, a bank communiqu� informs.
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